Have you ever wondered what being a Medical Surgical Nurse means? What skills you would need? Or what a typical day in the life would look like? Make sure you’re all caught up with Specialty Nursing: What Makes a Good Med Surg Nurse? And now let’s dive in to an interview with Briana, a real life Med Surg nurse!
Name and Education
Hi all, my name is Briana! I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California Baptist University.
Where Do You Work?
I am a Medical Surgical Nurse.
How Long Have You Worked This Position?
Going on 3 years!
What Made You Want to be a Medical Surgical Nurse?
Oftentimes, the medical surgical unit is overlooked. However, as a Med Surg nurse, I have the unique opportunity of working with every type of patient. Over the course of my career, I have received patients from the ICU, OR, ED, and even L&D. I chose Med-Surg nursing for this reason. The diversity of patient care has allowed me to strengthen my skills in all areas, which has set a great foundation for me as I move further into my career.
What are the Most Common Skills Needed to be a Med Surg Nurse?
As a Med Surg nurse at my hospital, our assignments consist of having up to 5 patients each shift. This means IV starts are a common skill needed in this unit. Other skills used include NG tube and foley catheter insertions, wound care, monitoring patients I’s and O’s (meaning Intake and Output), wound vacs and chest tubes. The list goes on. In addition, it is crucial to have effective communication, organization and multitasking skills while maintaining a safe environment for all.
What Personal Qualities does a Medical Surgical Nurse Need to Have?
Being in the hospital can be a scary and unpredictable experience for all involved. With that being said, important qualities to have include empathy, trustworthiness and an ability to be a team player. I have learned that these qualities have strengthened my relationship with my peers at work and with my patients that I care for.
What Does a Typical Day as a Med Surg Nurse Look Like?
My typical day starts off by receiving report from the previous nurse and introducing myself to my patients. From there, I go through my patient’s charts to learn more about the reason for their hospitalization and their personal care needs. Next, I begin administering their medications, performing physical assessments and educating my patients on their plan of care. The rest of the day consists of paging the doctors, performing nursing skills, sending patients to surgery, performing wound care or discharging/admitting patients, etc.
What is Your Most Favorite Part About Being a Med Surg Nurse?
My favorite part of being a Med Surg nurse is the relationships I build with my patients, with them allowing me to act as an advocate for their individualized needs. As mentioned prior, being a Med Surg nurse allows me to work with a diverse group of patients. In turn, I also find enjoyment in this diversity because it has always kept me on my toes through needing to use different skill sets from my clinical practice.
What Should Students Looking to go into Medical Surgical Nursing Know about the Field?
Working in the Med Surg unit is definitely not for everyone, but it provides a good starting point for new grads, those wanting to get into travel nursing, and those wanting to further develop skills in all areas of nursing. Overall, med-surg allows for nurses to be well-rounded.
Anything Else You Wish to Share?
As a nurse, it is important to know the pathophysiology background of the patient’s diagnosis and studying the interventions needed for each patient, such as the teachings, medications, nutrition, and labs. If you are in nursing school, take every and any opportunity you can to start an IV, or to insert a foley or NG tube (these skills are very useful). Practice makes perfect!
Thank you Briana for your loving service to your community!
Be sure to check out the entire Specialty Nursing Series, and follow along with this new Specialty Nurse Interview Series!
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